Drink & Drunk

1 Corinthians 8:4-6 Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one. 5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.

Do you really care what others think? That simple question’s answer carries immeasurable weight in our lives. You can worry so much about others opinions that we live our lives to please or impress others that truly don’t care for us. We can care so little about others opinions that we bulldoze our paths with a wake of destruction and pain behind us. There is a happy medium found biblically to those that seek to please God with their lives. We must understand that when we claim to be Christians, when those in our circle of influence view us as such, we are placed in a microscope of how we live. We are either pointing them to Jesus with our lives, or turning them away in our hypocrisy. We are all going to be judged by Jesus one day on how we lived the remainder of our lives after we claimed to know Him. God will ask us what we did with the knowledge of his Son.

Paul is writing to the brethren in Corinth, writing about how they are being viewed in their conduct, especially in their eating to idols. Paul understands how we are under the microscope as Christians. He makes it clear that the liberty that comes in Christ is not to be a stumbling block to those who do not have that knowledge of him; I love how he puts it that true love will make it clear, not pride. 1 Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. 2 And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. Those who truly understood what Jesus had accomplished, and the freedom that obtained in that faith, they knew food carried no condemnation. This however might really confuse someone watching them closely, eating something un-sacred, so why do it unless clearly explaining through love the freedom found in Christ! Look today at how clearly the Christian drinks and may get drunk with other believers or non-believers. One of today’s greatest hypocrisies just as 2000 years ago when Paul wrote this epistle. The Bible does not condemn drinking, but clearly condemns getting drunk. Ephesians 5:18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit. Your excuse to drink is between you and God, and yes you will answer for it before Him. He will know every time you drink, became drunk, and who in your circle of influence was effected eternally. I truly believe that someone who is abiding in Jesus Christ has no urge to drink whatsoever. The desire is gone completely, and that eliminates the need to decide the difference between drink and drunk biblically.